Helping A Friend In Need
by Pricat
Summary: Artie is enchanted by a strange sorceroress and begins to change in appearance and personality. But the others are worried for him especially Shrek who wants to bring his friend back. Can they defeat the sorceroress and break the spell?
1. Chapter 1

Helping A Friend In Need

**A/N I got the idea for this from my sister because we were reading Shrek Goes Fourth and we started making this up. I maight delete No Need To Say Goodbye because I think this one will be better. It's about Artie being taken over by dark magic and everyone's freaked especially Shrek since they're best friends/ brothers. It might be angsty but no horror because it creeps me out. I hope the people here enjoy! **

**Prologue**

_It was late in Far, Far Away as Artie tossed and turned in his sleep. There was a stranger in his room. It was a woman who was full of magic but was angry at not having the kingdom because of Far, Far Away having a king._

_"This shall make him regret ever being King!" she hissed in anger as her eyes glowed purple._

_Artie tossed and turned as he felt something like a mosquito bite on his neck._

_It made him want to scratch but hurt....._

_"This should make things fun." she thought leaving....._

_She wanted the kingdom for herself and knew that Artie was King. _

_She hoped the spell would work......._


	2. Feeling Strange This Morning

Helping A Friend In Need

Chapter One

Artie woke up feeling strange for some reason. He'd had troubled sleep last night from strange dreams which he didn't know what they meant. He felt something itch on his neck and looked in the mirror.

There was a rose on his neck and it itched madly.

"_Where did it come from?_

_Maybe Ari put it on me to protect me." _he thought as he dressed in his usual jersey.

He went downstairs into the dinng room. His daughter Ari or Arianna was already there but he felt a deep sadness within him.

It'd been a year since the demise of his wife Marissa through illness.

Even though he seemed to be dealing with it, he sometimes cried at night or in his throne room.

But in front of Ari and the others, he kept his feelings within.....

"Hey Dad you okay?

You look like a mess." Ari said to him.

"Yeah I know.

I had.... trouble sleeping." he answered.

She sighed as she brought him a cup of black coffee. It helped him wake up when he had trouble sleeping. She saw the rose mark on her father's neck. Artie saw fear in her emerald eyes and wondered what was wrong.

"It's nothing.

.... That mark on your neck.

How did you get it?" she asked him softly.

"I don't know. I woke up and it was there. It itches like mad." he answered.

She saw it glow with purple light.

It shocked her.

"_I have to tell Merlin. He'll know whatever spell is on my Dad._

_It feels like dark magic."_ she thought leaving for Merlin's study.....


	3. Changing

Helping A Friend In Need

**A/N Thanks to Hanny Spoon for reviewing this. Here's more. Oh yeah because I restart College on Monday, it might be a little while because I have to go to bed. But since today's Saturday and I can stay up late, I might update more of this. It's getting pretty cool.**

Merlin was curious as his grand daughter explained what happened to her father especially when she said about the rose marking on Artie's neck. He'd heard of this spell before and was worried.

"What'll happen to my father?" Ari asked him. Merlin looked very grave before answering.

"It's a very dark spell that changes the person it affects. It also creates a demon within the victim and endows him with magic.

Only very powerful magicians know how to do this.

Artie is in danger." he explained to her.

Ari left.

She was worried thinking about what her grandfather had said to her.

She hoped things would be okay.......

But Shrek was worried seeing Artie walk out of a salon. His normal brown hair was replaced by short black and blue hair which was spiked a little.

".... Umm Artie you feeling okay?" he asked nervous.

"Yeah I felt like I had to change myself." he answered him.

He then saw Artie scratch his neck. He'd seen Artie do that five times today but noticed something odd about it.

This morning it looked red and a rash but now it was black and looked like a tattoo but it began to glow.

"Artie?

That mark on your neck, how did you get it?

It.... looks nasty.

Maybe we should get it looked at." Shrek suggested.

"No!

I-I'll be fine.

It's nothing. Just a sting or a bite. Besides I feel better than I have in my life." Artie replied with a dark look in his eyes.

That scared Donkey and Puss but more so Shrek.

"_Something's not right and it involves that mark._

_I hope I don't lose him. He's been acting odd ever since he got it._

_He won't tell me where he got it." _he thought as they saw Lance run away from Artie.

He chased after him and pinned him to the wall.

"Artie.... please show mercy!" Lance begged.

"Why should I? You and the others never showed me mercy in Worchester, making fun of me, locking me in my locker and making my life a misery.

Why should I?" Artie growled as his eyes began to change and glowed with purple light.

"Artie stop!" Shrek yelled. At his voice Artie snapped out of it and stared at Lance.

He sent Lance flying into a wall.

"A-Artie let's go okay senor?" Puss said.

"Yeah okay.

I feel really weird, like something's wrong with me." Artie replied as they walked back to the castle...

Ari was shocked by her father's sudden change in appearance. She knew this wasn't him. Merlin knew this too. It was the spell that was doing this to him.

He'd a feeling who'd done this and was angry.

He knew soon the demon would grow in Artie changing him more and make him a demon in appearance and have access to dark magic.

He had to find a way to get the spell out of him before then.....

He hoped that it wasn't too late for Artie and the kingdom.....


	4. Strange Dreams

Helping A Friend In Need

**A/N Here's more! I hope everybody likes!**

Yana cackled watching Artie since she'd put the mark on him. She was a relative of Marissa's side of the family. She had pale skin, brown hair, blue eyes and had powerful magic. She was also half demon by birth but her daughter suffered because of it. She was born a full demon and couldn't be happy.

To Yana, it'd been Artie that had messed things up for their family because he'd met her sister and they'd fallen in love and gotten married but she couldn't forgive him for taking Marissa from them when she died from illness. That was the reason she'd put that mark on him.

"He's progessing nicely. Soon it'll grow in him and he'll be a powerful force.

That's when I'll try and take over the kingdom and he can't do anything because he's under my thumb!" she cackled as she saw her daughter come in from high school.

She was depressed. She was nice hearted unlike her mother but wanted to be loved and accepted by others.

But she had the appearnce of a demon which threw other kids off.

Her name was Keri and she had a big heart.

She had pointy ears, black eyes, pale but fair skin and silvery hair.

"Mom what's going on?" she asked her.

"Nothing honey." Yana answered.

She kept her plans from Keri because she didn't want her taken from her or to be chased by hunters......

That night in Far, Far Away Artie couldn't sleep as he tossed and turned in his bed.

"Please...... don't..... leave...." he mumbled in his sleep.....

_In his mind he was in Worchester as a sixteen year old again. Lance and the others were tormenting him as usual and he hated it until somebody showed up, somebody he really cared about and missed ever since she went._

_It was Marissa. She looked as pretty as she did when she first met him._

_"M-Marissa?_

_But you're....." Artie said to her._

_"I'm what?_

_Go on Artie tell me." she asked him looking into his emerald eyes. Artie couldn't bear it, to answer with those words._

_"You're dead. You died through illness after we defeated Laia, the Fairy Godmother's sister._

_Don't you remember?_

_Or are you an illusion here to trick me?" Artie replied._

_But he watched as she faded and he heard Lance and the jousting team laugh._

_"What're you going to do to us?" Lance said as Artie fell through the ground and into darkness._

_Suddenly he saw a pair of glowing purple eyes in the darkness. He had a feeling he knew who they belonged to as somebody stepped out of the darkness._

_It was him as he was now with his blue and black hair._

_"Don't worry Artie it's me._

_I know losing Marissa hurt but maybe..... my friend can bring her back." he said._

_"What're you talking about?_

_Marissa's dead and never coming back!" Artie told himself._

_"It doesn't have to be that way...... you know._

_Just let the power you have ignite......" he replied fading...._

Artie woke up sweating but the rose mark was glowing and throbbing madly. He then began to scratch it but noticed something was wrong with his nails......

He looked in the mirror and saw they were talons and his eyes had dark rings around them and glowed with purple light as the magic grew stronger and coursed through him......


	5. Light In the Darkness

Helping A Friend In Need

**A/N Here's more. Artie's going Garra style in this fic. I might finish this soon but I have another fic idea I'm working on. Let's hope Shrek and the others can help him before they lose him to darkness....**

Artie was in the forest shooting magic out of his hands and using new found energy he didn't know he had. After last night, he felt better.

But Ari and Merlin were worried for him. He returned to the castle before they woke up. He got dressed in black pyjamas but his other ones were ripped somehow. He'd no idea the mark on his neck was doing this to him. Merlin needed to talk to him but smiled seeing Shrek and the others around.

"What's going on?" Donkey heard Shrek ask.

"Artie." he answered simply. Shrek understood as he followed him to the castle. Merlin explained what was happening but he hoped he could help before it was too late....

He found Artie alone in the dining room but he looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep in a few days.

".... You don't look too good.

What happened to you? It's like ever since you got that mark, you've acted weird and it's freaking everybody out especially me and we're like brothers." Shrek told him.

"Please you.... don't understand!

He then saw Artie clutch his head in agony as his eyes glowed with purple magic but his ears became pointy.

"Artie.... you okay?" he asked him.

"N-No I-I'm not.

Help me!" he said freaked as he began to change and became a demon.

"_This isn't good! The demon is loose in him! I know only one way to help him and it involves Love." _Merlin thought seeing Artie back away from them.

"You can't help him now! He belongs to Yana.

We are her pet." Artie hissed as he vanished.....

Merlin was worried but fear was in Shrek's hazel eyes and wouldn't fade.

"Was that Artie?

What..... happened to him?

I've got to help him!" he asked Merlin softly. The elderly wizard understood why he was so worried about Artie.

They were like brothers even if they weren't related.

".... Yes it was but it wasn't his fault. That mark on him was a spell which contained a demon in it which is now in Artie but it can be broken.... through love or somebody who cares about him deeply.... like you." he explained to him softly.

Shrek nodded as he realised how the demon had gotten stronger in Artie.

"_I know I care about him but so does Ari and you Merlin. We've got to reawaken the old Artie we love and care about."_ he thought as he, Ari and Merlin left.

Yana cackled as she entered Far, Far Away and saw Artie waiting for her. He looked unlike himself because he was in a demon but beast like form like a massive furry beast with glowing eyes.

"I see somebody had a makeover. Ready to help me?" she said smiling to him.

"I live to serve only you Queen Yana." Artie replied bowing before her.

Merlin was angry at that as he found them in the town square. He hoped the old Artie was in there fighting for freedom.

"Artie stop!

You don't wanna destroy your kingdom!" Merlin yelled as he appeared out of nowhere.

Yana cackled at that. "So you came to save him?

He's no longer himself. He's my willing servant. Nothing can save him, not even you!" she cackled as she shot magic at him.

"You only got to him because your dark magic played on his sadness of losing Marissa and being lonely! I know deep down inside, Artie's trying to break your spell!" he replied as they kept fighting.

But the demon that was Artie was confused as deep inside Artie began to reawaken.

"_Merlin's right! Yana only did this to me because I was depressed about losing Marissa but now the others and the kingdom need me!"_ he thought as darkness covered him but broke through.

"What's happening to the demon?" Shrek asked curious.

"Artie broke Yana's hold on him. I knew he would." Merlin replied as the demon was destroyed becoming Artie again. The rose mark shattered and fell off his neck. He felt somebody hug him.

It was Shrek.

"It's okay.

We missed ya.

Welcome back." he told him.

Yana growled at that in anger but smiled as she had Ari in her clutches.

"Don't worry I can take care of her!" Ari heard somebody yell. It was Keri.

"W-What're you doing?

They're the reason you're a demon!" Yana told her daughter.

"Wrong Mom. You did this to me. Uncle Merlin helped me realise that...

Goodbye!" she said as bright light engulfed her and her mother.

Merlin heard her scream as she was defeated but caught Keri.....

Artie saw a smile on his face as Keri was no longer a demon.

"You're finally normal like you wished." he whispered as they went back to the castle....


	6. Trying To Bring Happiness Back

Helping A Friend In Need

**A/N Here's the next chapter. The next chapter might be the last one. I'm sorry for those enjoying it but the next story will be longer, I promise. **

Merlin sighed seeing Ari enter his study the next morning but she was curious about the girl he'd brought into the castle. She wondered how the girl had once looked like a demon but now looked mortal.

"How's your father after.... last night?" he asked her.

"Sleeping fitfully but he feels guilty because of what happened but it wasn't his fault, right?

It was Yana that did it to him." Ari said softly.

"Yes but we're lucky. If we hadn't helped your father, the darkness would have kept it's hold on him and we would've lost him forever." Merlin answered her.

He knew how strong she was being after losing her mother after being reunited with her and Artie.

"M-Maybe Keri can stay here and be part of her family." he said to her.

"That.... would be cool but will she be a demon again?" Ari replied to him.

He laughed at that.

"No she won't. She was only a demon because Yana cast a spell on her so she'd never leave her but I'm glad she's gone.

Maybe now things will be better." Merlin answered her softly as she left his room so he could work.

Shrek was in the dining room with Fiona and Lillian and Harold. They stopped talking as she came in.

"How's my Dad? I hope he'll be okay. He was pretty sad and that's why he became a demon." the teen said.

"He's okay but keeps having trouble sleeping. He thinks the whole thing's his fault but we reassured him it wasn't. I know you guys haven't been together for a long while but he's lonely and needs somebody." Fiona answered drinking coffee even though Shrek kept falling asleep. He'd been with Artie all night, trying to comfort him.

"She's right Ari. I've never seen Artie like this. He misses your mother deeply the way you miss Lorian." he answered her.

She noded as they ate.

Merlin then saw Keri wake up late in the night. She felt better after yesterday. He smiled at her energy.

"Keri let's talk." he said.

"About what Uncle Merlin?" the girl asked him.

"I know your mother used you and you don't have anybody to call a family so how would you like to stay here and be a part of King Artie's family? Maybe your spirit is what this castle needs right now seeing as....." Merlin replied sadly.

"After what happened?" Keri asked him, her lavender eyes full of curiousity.

"His wife and Ari's mother Queen Marissa died through illness a month ago and ever since then the both of them haven't been the same.

That's why your mother's magic affected him so easily. Maybe you could help Ari unleash her sadness." her uncle explained to her softly.

Shrek had been listening.

Keri seemed so full of life and maybe that light could restore the happiness that had been taken when Marissa had left.....


	7. I'll Be In Your Heart

Helping A Friend In Need

**A/N This is the last chapter but it's a pretty sweet ending but don't worry I'm working on the next one and it'll be up soon.**

Artie tossed and turned in the early morning hours as he kept remembering and imagining what could've happened if he hadn't freed himself. Tears had dried on his pillow from these dreams.

Suddenly bright light, brighter than the sun filled the room as somebody entered the room. It was somebody who'd left both Artie and Arianna and was the reason Artie had been beating himself up emotionally.

"_Artie?_

_It's me Marissa. Please wake up." _he heard a voice say as his eyes opened and woke up with a start seeing his wife there as a spirit.

She looked like as pretty as she had the day he'd met her in Worchester.

"But how?" he asked with tears in his emerald eyes.

"_Your heart is full of sadness and foreboding ever since I left and it's made you sadder than ever before._

_I never meant to hurt you and Ari by leaving, you know that?" _she told him.

"Sort of but I feel lonely and I miss you." he said softly trying to touch her but his hand went through her.

"_I'm never gone from you, I'm in here." _she said pointing to where his heart was.

"I-I know but how.... do I know you'll always be there?" he asked sad.

_"Because our love was strong when I was alive. But life goes on and you must find another woman to be your Queen and to be a mother to Ari and to the new one that joined our family. Besides I'll always watch over you and Ari._

_We're still family, remember that Artie._

_One day in the afterlife, we will be together but now you must be strong for the kingdom and for Ari."_ she said as her eyes glowed with light.

He shielded his eyes so he wouldn't be blind but when it faded, he could look again but Marissa was gone but autumn leaves were on the floor in words.

_Don't forget my love...._

Artie understood as he nodded his head.

"I promise Marissa." he told himself as he got out of bed.

Time would tell if he would heal......


End file.
